Neutral Territory (A Farcry 5 fanfic)

Chapter Three: Broken Glass

(I should be updating my other stories but I'm too into writing this one. Send help plz)

"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."

-Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

EJ stared at the illusion of Faith dancing around in her backyard, relaxing back into the rickety rocking chair as the sun set peacefully. She always pondered if the illusion would ever speak back to her, yet she'd keep talking to it about everything that happened to her that day.

Her green and blue eyes glanced down at the book in her blanket-covered lap before she had been distracted, a blue ribbon sticking out from the top of it as a trustworthy bookmark. 'Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Movie sucked and the book is nothing like it.'

"I had an interesting day today illusion Faith," EJ started, wanting to talk to at least something that resembled a person. "Sharky burned his pants off, 7th time this week. And I almost had to kill him after he started up his disco music whilst letting Alani run around and dance to it. Lord, I really have no clue how he's still living from all the hell he caused back in the day when I was here." The woman stared up at the retreated pink sky, watching as it slowly turned to a beautiful navy, dotted with white. "Do you ever feel like maybe if you've only been stronger, only been more...perfect, maybe you could've prevented things you regret? I don't know why, but it feels like I'm not enough, Manaoio."

"Maybe you are enough, and you can't see it."

EJ's head snapped downwards, giving a shocked look at the voice. Faith was now staring right at EJ, currently spinning in front of her, smiling.

A small smile appeared on the woman's tan face for a second, but it was gone as soon as it as present. "Pfft, please Manaoio. I was taught from the beginning that if I wanted to be enough, to work for it. And thanks for now speaking back after 3 years." Resting the book in her lap open the end table next to her, EJ proceeded to pull herself up from the old rocking chair and head back inside, for it was getting chilly.

Folding her favorite blanket, EJ stood still when she heard Faith say something under her breath.

"Just because you think you aren't enough, doesn't mean that it's true. You're more than enough in others' eyes." Faith gently set a hand on EJ's shoulder, using another to grab the wool blanket from the woman.

"I'll try to see it that way, Faith. But for now I'll have to work on it."

Faith giggled and did another twirl. "Good. By the way, where are you from? I can't quite pick out your accent. And your eyes are so pretty!"

Snatching back her blanket back playfully, EJ strode (?) around Faith, examining the overly bubbly girl. "I'm not from around here. And thank you, not many people complement my eyes."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Because either I'm wearing my aviators or they think I'm from out of this world," EJ said coldly before walking to stand right in front of the sliding glass doors, opening one of them a small bit. "I don't make friends very easily like you do. Or at least I don't consider them to be, in these old eyes. God bless and stay safe, Manaoio."

Faith watched as the cold woman retreated into her house.

'How can such a kind woman seem so cold in another moment? The rumors were right--she's one you have to keep your eye on, despite her mask.'

(Manaoio--{means 'Faith' in Hawaiian)